NHL pulls back Pride Tape ban, will allow use for ‘social causes’
After facing backlash for months, the NHL has officially pulled back the Pride Tape ban, and will now allow players to use the tape for social causes, NHL Public Relations announced on X Tuesday.
NHL statement on symbolic tape in support of social causes. pic.twitter.com/BJN0hAde2W
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) October 24, 2023
Only days after Arizona Coyotes defenseman Travis Dermott went against the NHL’s rules in using the Pride Tape, the league revoked the banning. Dermott recently spoke on the incident regarding the tape.
“You don’t really want to go against rules that are put in place by your employer, but there’s some people who took some positive things from it,” Dermott told Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports, according to The Score. “That’s kind of what I’m looking to impact.
“You want to have everyone feel included and that’s something that I have felt passionate about for a long time in my career. It’s not like I just jumped on this train. It’s something that I’ve felt has been lacking in the hockey community for a while. I feel like we need supporters of a movement like this; to have everyone feel included and really to beat home the idea that hockey is for everyone.”
The NHL banned not only the Pride Tape this offseason, but all alternative warmup jerseys, sparking outrage towards the league.
“I’ve suggested that it would be appropriate for clubs not to change their jerseys in warmups because it’s become a distraction and taking away from the fact that all of our clubs in some form or another host nights in honor of various groups or causes,” Bettman said in an interview with Sportsnet following an NHL board of governors meeting in New York. “And we rather them continue to get the appropriate attention that they deserve and not be a distraction.”
As of now, Travis Dermott isn’t receiving any type of suspension or disciplinary action for his actions.
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